Explorit to host an ‘extreme’ chemistry show

Would your family like to watch rockets blast off in a cloud of smoke and see cans explode? How about watching liquid nitrogen freeze things until they shatter? Gummy bears lit on fire? You can witness all of this and more from 1-4 p.m. Saturday at Explorit Science Center.

The always entertaining and adventurous UC Davis Chemistry Club has dazzled countless Explorit visitors in the past. Saturday’s “Chemistry Craze,” the club’s first presentation at Explorit’s new site at 2801 Second St. in Davis, is free with museum admission. Tickets will be handed out beginning at 1 p.m. for 30-minute chemistry demonstrations at 1, 1:45, 2:45 and 3:30 p.m. Guests should arrive early to ensure that they get tickets, as this event usually draws a large crowd and space is limited.

“We are very excited about our demos, and this is the first opportunity this year we have had to showcase them,” says club vice president Sarah Navarro. The club’s goal, which Explorit’s staff shares, is to spark a curiosity in young visitors about chemistry and the intriguing science in the world around them.

The event’s “extreme” chemistry requires special training and safety equipment. (Kids, don’t try these things at home.) There are, however, many sources of experiments that are fun for the whole family. You can find them at local libraries and through links from Explorit’s Web site, www.explorit.org. There are also new and exciting experiment kits you can purchase from the Explorit store that allow children to grow crystals, create erupting volcanoes and experiment with mystery slime. Explorit and the Chemistry Club hopes that after watching a “Chemistry Craze” demonstration, children will get inspired to conduct interesting science investigations with parental guidance.

----------------------------------------------

Explorit’s popular exhibition, “Holes: An Opening Into the Sciences” is entering its 10 final days on display. Through self-guided, hands-on experiments and fun activities, learn about the holes in the world around us, from our tiny ear canals to cavernous moon craters and mysterious black holes in space.

The top five reasons to visit the Holes exhibits before it closes are:

5) To dig holes in a sandbox to discover archeological treasures
4) To touch real honeycomb and identify which holes animals use for shelter and food
3) To look for holes on your tongue, skin and clothing close-up using our probe microscope
2) To climb across a challenging rock wall by holding on to different holes
1) To make balls float in the air -- kids find this simply magic!

****************************************

Explorit Science Center is open at its new site, 2801 Second St., Davis. Through Dec. 10, you can visit the exhibition “Holes: An Opening Into the Sciences.” Public hours are Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Tuesday through Friday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. For more information: www.explorit.org or (530) 756-0191.